Tomintoul Cigar Malt

Just a few more sips from the last gift box a friend sent. Much appreciated! According to the marketing materials, “Tomintoul Cigar Malt is a rich, complex and robust Malt whisky specially created by our Master Distiller, Robert Fleming. Robert Fleming personally selected an intricate combination of Tomintoul single malts from specially selected vintages, which he has carefully balanced with some rare peated Tomintoul single malt. Each of these individual single malts has been either matured fully or finished in hand-selected Olorosso sherry butts, sourced from the partner bodegas in Andalucia, Spain.” So, as always; is this just a way to get rid of less than ideal stock, or do we actually have a dram worthy of such an opulent title? Nose: Indeed, that's a sherry cask! A toasted and buttery malt presence with a pleasant bitter citrus undertone. The nose presents as a slightly odd combination of musty and waxy; reminiscent of an old antique shop. Lighter red fruit is well balanced with a hint of smoke and maple. I am very content with my nose in this; nothing is too overwhelming, nothing out of place. It just works. I do criticize it though for having just enough ethanol presence to prickle the nose here and there. Palate: Light and fruity with a little syrupy quality. Blackberries, chocolate, plenty of cracked pepper and more toasty cereal. Perhaps some bitter citrus and cinnamon spice as well. This falls short of the promise made by the nose. Nothing particularly bad here, just a bit dull. Finish: Medium-long. Chocolates, orange, and espresso. There is also a copper-metallic taste that reminds me of the old water fountain in my high school from over 20 years ago. The final exit twang is a bit off-putting. I don’t smoke and the notion of cigars is somewhat stomach turning for me. That said, I recognize the opulence and richness they represent. I also get the notion behind branding a ‘cigar malt’. That said, the promise of something rich, long, and decadent were only suggested by the nose on this malt and then things dwindle into mediocrity and a little bit of disappointment at the end of it all. For AUD$129 this is more expensive than an Arran port or sherry cask at 50% ABV. I know what I want on my shelf when the time to indulge comes around. Thanks once again, in a friend, we trust. [Pictured here with a somewhat cigar shaped fossil. This is an ~400 million year old orthocone nautiloid from Morocco, cut out of and polished in its limestone matrix. Closely related to modern squid these straight cones would have housed a tentacled soft body at the front most chamber. A siphuncle (tube) running down the back of the animal would connect the gas filled chambers and allow for buoyancy control in the seas they lived in. The siphuncle could be filled with water by the animal and forced out propelling itself backward by jet propulsion as it pursued its likely predatory life style.⁠]

Aroma: Immediately sherry-forward, and surprisingly spirited at first for 43% ABV. Letting the dram sit and the ethanol dissipate a bit reveals a very sweet aroma with fruitcake, beeswax, orange syrup, maple syrup, and just a trace of mild, leathery smoke. It's a pleasant aroma with a rich, smooth quality without being overwhelmingly sherry-focused; the aroma improves the longer it rests. Palate: Soft and fruity with gently spiced orange oil and mixed citrus peel upon arrival. As it develops, more mild spice emerges (nutmeg, cinnamon), along with grainy barley-sugar and Seville marmalade. The texture is surprisingly light and lacks body for my preference – I felt it would have been more engaging with a richer, oilier mouthfeel. Finish: Medium. Citrus oil fades to warming but bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened black coffee, with a metallic hint at the very end. A hint of oloroso sherry is present throughout the profile. The aroma is precisely what one expects from Tomintoul's delicate, fragrant fruity distillate aged in fine sherry casks, but while enjoyable, the overall experience is a little disappointing for me. I must admit, I'm puzzled by the concept of a "cigar malt" and having now tried such spirits from various producers (Dalmore, Glenrothes, Tamdhu, Linkwood, Mortlach, and now this Tomintoul), the only common threads I can identify are fruity sweetness, sherry aging, and an attempt to mimic cognac. This leads me to question – why not forgo whisky and simply pair a cigar with a fine cognac, as intended? Nevertheless, this is a good malt overall, not exceptional, but certainly better than merely "above average," earning a solid "good" rating from me. However, if the mouthfeel had more density and presence, I would increase my score by half a star. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Nose: Maple syrup, sherry, smoke, Demerara sugar, Madeira cake. Palate: Sherry, maple syrup, butter, blackcurrant jam, barley/gristy. Finish: Coffee, chilli, cocoa/chocolate, chocolate raisins, vanilla sweetness. A delicious, rich, and syrupy dram. Very warming, sweet, and fruity. Plenty of layers to keep it interesting throughout. #WWD

Aroma: cinnamon, nutty, caramel, butterscotch. Palate: surprisingly lacking in flavor, sweet, thin. Finish: spice! Oak. I really enjoyed the aroma, but liked it less after tasting and revisiting it.

Aroma: very subtle, perfumed, orchard fruits, spice, pencil shavings Taste: smooth, spice, nectar, bee syrup, a few raspberries, ash End: sugary, barrel, ash, java

This is like drinking tobacco! It has abundant dried fruits, dates, and figs. A delightful whisky, naturally a great cigar pairing.